Types Of Projects

Before you begin, check project possibilities and the requirements of each

Each year the National Science Fair and many of the larger regional fairs boast a selection of project subjects ranging from anthropology to zoology, and including most any "ology," "y," or "ics" you can imagine. Nearly all of these projects, regardless of topic, can be placed in one of four very broad categories. These categories are not used by science fair administrators, but they simplify the job of cataloging and detailing the requirements of most entries:

1. Research and experimentation
2. Engineering
3. Collection, classification and display
4. Theoretical

No one category has any advantages over the others, and an equal number of winning projects from each appear at regional and national competitions. However, on a local level at local fairs, one of the four may be represented in force. No mystery here; entrants from the same locale are often "inspired in common." A farming region, for example, may logically turn out several good projects involved with agricultural research.

A quick glance will turn up some obvious differences. Category 3 tends to be the most time consuming, and an entrant must be very methodical and precise and have excellent powers of observation. Category 2 requires the most technical and mechanical skill and, above all, imagination. Category 4 demands a broad base of theoretical knowledge. The exhibitor must be original and capable of logical thought. Category 1 is almost a catchall, and requires a little bit from each of the other categories, plus a generous helping of creativeness.

Science Service

Examples of research projects are illustrated here. A Fourth Award winner at 12th NSF-I was this project entered by Barbara Parker of Detroit. She applied ultrasonic sound to chicken embryos.

Photos courtesy Science Service

Another Fourth Award went to this research project entered by Ann Stuart of Camp Hill, Pa. A bacterial mutation was induced in attempts to relate a bacteria-destroying enzyme to antibiotics.

Application of the molt-controlling hormone of crayfish to a mammalian system won a First Award for James Hosford of Atlanta (left), a three-time NSF finalist. Urine tests revealed that the hormone increases the calcium concentration in mice; has possible medical applications.

Spectrographic observation of the process of electron excitation in molecules of chlorophyll "A," which has a mysterious role in the photosynthetic cycle, in an effort to determine how the molecules transform radiant energy into chemical energy (right). This project won a Third Award for John Pickett at 12th NSF-I.

Mathematical analysis of curvature of droplets won a Third for Charles Jablecki (top). Project below was entered by Mark Shaw of Indianapolis, who did his research on visual perception in rats.
 
It is easy to see that projects in each of the four categories must have their own kind of organization and planning, and that each has its own special set of pitfalls to beware of. Each category also has its own built-in advantages. You should plan your project to emphasize these advantages, but don't confuse them with the qualities all projects must have: originality, creative ability and scientific skill. Any project lacking these is a loser regardless of category!

Research and Experimentation

In the broadest sense of the word, research means "a search for new knowledge." The key word is new, as real research adds to the knowledge of a science.

Research projects (professional, and to some extent science fair) usually follow a sequence of steps leading from start to completion: (a) A question is posed, (b) After considering past work in the field and any pertinent references in other fields, a few "intelligent guesses" are made to answer the question. Each of these guesses is called a hypothesis, (c) Suitable experiments are invented to test the truth of each hypothesis, (d) From the results of the experiments conclusions are reached about the validity of the hypotheses. Some will be discarded immediately; others may or may not be kept. Additional experiments will be performed at some later date to recheck the surviving hypotheses.

Ideally, a research science fair project should, through careful experimentation, seek the answer to a question posed by its builder. "Experimentation" includes any means used to test a hypothesis. The excavation of a site by an archeologist is as much of an experiment as the more familiar laboratory setup if the scientist hypothesized the existence of something at the site.

It should be recognized, however, that formulating a hypothesis in an unexplored region of science is usually beyond the average science fairer. Instead, existing hypotheses are retested by homemade experiments or they are extended in scope by new experiments that cover new territory. Design of a new experiment is often within the capabilities of a science fairer with a broad scientific background.

If your planned project involves an experiment, try to keep it as original as possible. New experiments, or different twists on old ones, are not as hard to come by as you might think. If you know your field you will be able to find areas that were skimmed over by the professionals where there is still work to be done.

Danger points in research and experimentation projects all basically involve lack of knowledge on the part of the builder. To be able to interpret your results you must first know the limitations of your experiment. This means that you will require a complete understanding of your experimental apparatus. How it works, what affects its accuracy, the best way to operate it, what can go wrong with it, are all bits of information which you must have at your finger tips.

A Science Talent Search research project entered by Daniel Kane of Atlanta, one of the national winners, is shown above. "Search" projects concern original work, and are not primarily for display.

Christopher Cherniak of Eau Gallie, Fla. (right), won a Third Award at 12th NSF-1 for research on developing a technique for keeping single nerve cells alive and functioning outside of an animal.

Science Service
Above and opposite: Science Service Photos

His project on using algae as an efficient means of producing oxygen and food nutrients in space travel won a National Navy Science Cruiser award for Elliott Ross, a resident of Staten Island, N. Y.

Technical skills which you do not have may be necessary to perform the experiment correctly. Remember, an error in experimental technique will result in misleading data!

Your project should be organized to demonstrate scientific insight into the problem, good scientific method, ingenuity, and your knowledge of the topic. Presentation should be keyed to describe the hypothesis you are working from, experimental methods used, and the results and conclusions achieved. In addition, be prepared to justify your experiment to the judges. You must be able to prove that your experiment is suitable for verifying the hypothesis. A point to ponder: No experiment is infallible. Results from one, or even a few similar experiments, are not sufficient to prove or disprove a hypothesis. How many experiments do you think are necessary?

Another point to keep in mind: Plan your experiment, but don't plan the results in advance. In other words, experiment with an open mind. Preconceived notions about the results of an experiment might make you unconsciously distort your findings to match your expectations.

Finally, plan to keep elaborate records of all experimental procedures and data. Even the smallest fact might help you when you draw conclusions. A good rule for the experimenter is to keep on the lookout for the unexpected. Train yourself to watch for it and be prepared to incorporate it into your conclusions.

The wide range of skills required to do a successful research and experimentation project must be kept in mind at all times. You must plan on acquiring these skills as you need them, and this means allowing time for outside study. All experimenters must know the answer to the following question before they can tackle an experimental project: What is the difference between precision and accuracy?

Also in the engineering category, a "phonetic digit recognizer" built by Keith Morgan of Idaho Falls, Idaho, took a Third Award. Device recognizes the digits 1-10 and types out the numbers.

An elaborate engineering project is shown below: A life support mechanism for survival on Mars. Waste is processed, air freshened and food provided automatically for monkeys in the enclosure.
 
Examples of engineering projects include this subsonic wind tunnel for rocket aerodynamics developed by Douglas Elder, Albuquerque. He won a Fourth Award, an expense-paid trip from NASA.

If you can answer it you have a head start; if not, make this your first outside study question.

Engineering

An engineering project is normally concerned with the development and construction of some component, device, or scientific system, or with the development of a new engineering technique through the use of actual or theoretical models.

These projects fall into the field of applied science, as existing scientific principles are being applied to solve a particular problem. Contrast this to the major goal of research: The development or discovery of new principles. A result from pure scientific research might be used to develop a component; several different components might be joined together to make a device; a group of devices might be combined to produce a system.
Westinghouse Photo
Winner of a S7,5OO Westinghouse Science Scholarship was Jerome Spitzner of St. James, Minn. His prize-winning project for the Science Talent Search was this ion accelerator of his own design.
 
As an example, consider the transistor and its circuitry. Basic principles of solid state physics led to the development of the transistor; a component. Later, circuit engineers took the transistor and other components and joined them to make different devices, including amplifiers and oscillators. Finally, various devices were combined to create systems such as TV sets, digital computers, and space satellites.

An engineering project should be aimed at solving a problem. The development of answers for nonexistent questions is the realm of pure science. Such a project should point up your imagination and ingenuity. It should demonstrate "sophistication," or, more simply, cleverness of design.

Careful consideration of all the possible ways of solving your problem is required, and you must be able to prove that your approach is best. This means demonstrating that the technique does what you claim, or that the component, device, or system functions properly. In other words, your project must represent an "engineering solution" to the problem you selected.

Careful and well-executed construction is a "must" for an engineering project, so you should have the necessary mechanical skills and access to required tools, equipment, and materials to insure a professional appearing job. "Well-executed" doesn't mean costly or gaudy; rather it implies neatness and complete functionalism. Winning projects are often distinguished by the resourceful and ingenious use of unlikely materials in their construction and design.

Robert Bemer's Second Award-winning project involved the construction and principles of a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer and determination of resonate frequencies of compounds.
 Example of "collection, classification, display," Karen Hodges' project, a top winner, showed ecological conditions on a beach. Emphasis was on factors affecting abundance of microorganisms.
 
Outside reading in your topic area is also necessary in order to familiarize yourself with existing techniques and with the materials available. You certainly won't be able to develop a system around nonexistent or unavailable components!

Often, if actual development of a system or technique is too complex to be attempted, a science fairer will develop it along theoretical lines. Scaled-down models might replace the physical objects involved. For example, a scale model of an airplane wing could be studied in a small wind tunnel.

Remember: You must be prepared to justify each individual segment of your project, and show its part in the whole answer to the problem under consideration.

Collection, Classification and Display

Projects in this category make, prove, or display some observation, concept, principle or technique with a presentation. Collections usually deal with objects, both animate and inanimate, and describe some feature or characteristic connected with them. For example, an insect collection could display all of the insects found within a particular region. From the variety and traits of the species found, conclusions can be drawn about the region.

Classifications are concerned with the "clerical" work of some science, such as the identifying of items of interest to that science and relating the items to others. To illustrate, rocks found in a particular area could be identified and the results used to reach conclusions about the geology of the area.

Displays demonstrate a scientific principle or engineering technique through the use of models, demonstrations, and other methods. Often, a display will attempt to make a difficult point easy to understand by explaining it in simplified, nontechnical language, aided by a clear presentation. All projects in this category have one common requirement: High quality presentation is essential.

Collections and classifications must be as carefully planned as research projects. Here, too, the entrant must display a wide background and must be able to justify his methods of organization and the conclusions he reached. In addition, collections must be "coherent," that is, have a common theme that runs through the entire collection.

Theoretical

Theoretical projects, as the name implies, are oriented toward the theoretical discussion of a scientific principle, concept, theory, or technique, and away from the actual construction of some device or experiment.
 
Several approaches to theoretical projects are possible. A point may be shown to be valid or invalid by using mathematical or physical arguments; a detailed discussion of a scientific concept might be capped with conclusions, suggestions for further development, or new application ideas; or an advanced topic might be developed along research or engineering lines with the aid of theoretical arguments instead of models or experiments.

Presentation is very important, and must explain and defend the subject being discussed, the theoretical development of the topic, and conclusions reached. You must satisfy the judges that you completely understand your subject, and that your general science background is sufficiently broad to allow you to reach valid theoretical conclusions.

Originality is vital, and your project must display original thought, and show intensive study of past and current work in the field. Theoretical projects are necessarily more technical than other types, as deep thought and logical derivation replace assembly and experimentation.

Almost any field of science is fair game for a theoretical project. In the past, however, projects in this category seem to have been largely the domain of very talented individuals with a deep interest in a specific problem or field. Most winners were concentrated in mathematics and the pure sciences. On the other hand, many "blue-sky" engineering ideas have also been successful.

By and large, the major requirements for a good theoretical project are a wide, somewhat advanced knowledge of your subject area and its problems and techniques, and a flair for creative and imaginative thinking.

An example of creative "clerical" work in science, project executed by Edward DeLoach of San An-gelo, Texas, delt with parasites which attack mantids during phases of life cycle. Emphasis was placed on parasites of the egg case, nymph and adult stages.

Theoretical projects (constructed for the Science Talent Search) are shown at right. Above, Daniel Kleinman of Louisville, Ky„ exhibits his prize-winning project dealing with prime number theory. He received $4,000 scholarship award.

Harriet Fell of Flushing, N. Y. (right), successfully entered a theoretical project in the 20th annual Science Talent Search. Her "Development of a Linear Algebra with Sixteen Units" won a scholarship award.

Natl. Aeronautics and Space Admin.i
Do your planning on paper. Set up a project notebook before you begin work it will become a daily log and will help you with the presentation of the project.

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